AP – The Illinois Senate president says legalizing internet gambling could bring in much-needed revenue. But Chicago Democrat John Cullerton says he expects stiff opposition to any proposal. During a hearing in Springfield Wednesday, Cullerton says “people are already gambling, and we’re not making any of the money.” John Pappas is the executive director of the Poker Players Alliance, which says the state could bring in almost $200 million a year if it legalized online poker. Three other states allow the practice. Cullerton has pushed for online gambling before. But he says he understands there’s “a lot of complications,” including…

Efforts behind Illinois gambling expansion are losing ground at the Capitol as the plan’s new sponsor clashes with Gov. Pat Quinn, and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle angles for a piece of the action. Rep. Robert Rita, who started shepherding the casino bill in the House last week, angrily disputed comments by the governor’s hand-picked chief gambling regulator, Aaron Jaffe, who suggested Chicago be taken out of the legislation. Rita suggested a separate vote on a Chicago casino would kill gambling expansion. “Is this (Jaffe’s) comments? Is this the governor? Where did these comments come from,” said Rita, D-Blue…

From Chicago Tribune Buried more than 400 pages into the 524-page gambling expansion bill that would bring a casino to Chicago are directions for splitting some of the state’s take to create new ways to pay for the pork-barrel projects politicians covet. Money from the new casinos and slot machines at horse racing tracks would be steered to a new “depressed communities economic development fund,” a “Latino community economic development fund,” grants to the State Fairgrounds and county fairs, funding for equine research, soil and water conservation, cooperative extension services and an annual grant to the Chicago Botanic Garden. Other…

From Chicago Business Language on a long-expected proposal to bring widespread Internet gambling to Illinois finally has surfaced in Springfield, and by all indications the plan will be both highly lucrative and highly controversial. The language was circulated late Tuesday, according to my source, by aides to Senate President John Cullerton, who long has said he wants to legalize online gambling because of the potential payoff in state revenue but has separated the issue from the proposed expansion of casino gambling. Mr. Cullerton’s office didn’t officially confirm that something is coming. But his spokesman promised “details to come” — and…